A Northern blot allows comparison of mRNA levels, which are a direct reflection of gene expression.

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A Northern blot allows comparison of mRNA levels, which are a direct reflection of gene expression. This blot above shows the tracking of mRNA levels in a cell sample at various intervals after exposu

A Northern blot allows comparison of mRNA levels, which are a direct reflection of gene expression. This blot tracks mRNA levels in a cell sample at various intervals after exposure to a drug. At 15 minutes after exposure, mRNA levels are low (red arrow, smaller dot); at two hours after exposure, these levels have increased (blue arrow, bigger dot).

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Gene Expression Is Analyzed by Tracking RNA

Through laboratory techniques that track quantities of mRNA, scientists can identify which genes are “turned on” and which are “turned off” in an organism’s tissue at a given time, as well as how vigorously these genes are expressed. This enables scientists to understand the time course of gene expression and the impact of environmental conditions on multiple genes. In this page, you will learn about two techniques that track RNA, Northern blot and SAGE.